Drummond, William E., House
Why it's listed
This house at 559 Edgewood Place in River Forest, Illinois, dates from 1909 and was designed by William E. Drummond. It is an example of the 'economy Prairie House,' a basic design Frank Lloyd Wright proposed in a 1907 Ladies Home Journal article. Wright built a few of these houses, while more were built by men who worked in his office between 1905 and 1910. The nomination calls Drummond the best exponent of the style and this house the best example. Its character is Wrightian, but the detail and workmanship are described as better than in most Wright buildings of the period, because Drummond was a meticulous draftsman who closely supervised the work. Drummond's clients were less affluent than Wright's, and the house shows good architecture reaching middle-income families. The form lists it as unaltered, in excellent condition, on its original site and still a private residence.
Significance in brief: The nomination calls it an excellent example of the 'economy Prairie House' and perhaps one of the best Prairie Style houses by an architect other than Frank Lloyd Wright. Drummond was a devoted follower of Wright, and his work helped popularize the Prairie School. The house also shows good architecture made available to middle-income families.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 70000241, listed March 5, 1970. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 559 Edgewood Pl., River Forest |
|---|---|
| County | Cook County |
| Listed | March 5, 1970 |
| Reference number | 70000241 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 20th Century (specific date 1909) |
| Architect / builder | William E. Drummond |
| Architectural style | Prairie Style (economy Prairie House) |
| Areas of significance | Art, Architecture |
| Level of significance | National |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as in excellent condition, unaltered, on its original site, occupied and used as a private residence; the form says it has been well maintained. |
| Acreage | 0.2 |
| Coordinates | 41.88967, -87.82717 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary for a privately owned home: it does not by itself restrict what an owner may do with their own money, and it does not require public access. Restrictions come from local landmark or historic-district ordinances, which are separate (how they differ).
Owner-occupied houses are not eligible for the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit, which applies to income-producing buildings, but many states offer credits for homeowners. Listing also opens the door to preservation easements and to buying a plaque. Start with what listing means for homeowners, renovating a listed house and selling one.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 70000241.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q14688255
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.